Overview
- The Perseid shower began Friday, July 17, and will be active through about August 24 with the strongest activity expected on the night of Aug. 12–13.
- The meteors come from debris left by Comet 109P/Swift‑Tuttle and strike Earth’s atmosphere at roughly 37 miles per second, producing many fast streaks and frequent bright fireballs.
- Because the peak coincides with a new moon, astronomers say ideal dark‑sky conditions could yield between about 60 and 100 meteors per hour for viewers away from city lights during the predawn hours.
- Perseid fireballs can leave long wakes of light due to larger cometary particles, and agencies monitor strong showers for possible spacecraft risk from higher meteoroid traffic.
- To see the best display, observers should head to a dark, open site, watch with the naked eye after midnight and allow 20–30 minutes for eyes to adapt; the peak follows hours after a total solar eclipse visible in parts of the North Atlantic and Europe, which may boost public interest and local viewing plans.